It's difficult to put into words how it felt when I learned at the end of last week that my first newspaper editor, Ernest Buckley, had died at the age of 82.

He had such a memorable influence on my career. I'd applied to the Warrington Guardian in spring 1989 after spotting an advertisement for a trainee reporter, soon after completing my A levels. Around 350 applied for the job and I thought I stood little chance, as I'd just left sixth-form college and was planning to go to university.

But the editor thought otherwise and he offered me the job following a job interview, during which he puffed away on a cigar. (The days before the smoking ban.)

Mr Buckley, as he was always called, commanded respect and loyalty and was universally feared and admired by his young trainee reporters. We learned shorthand [Pitman 2000] as Mr Buckley insisted on it. His trainees dreaded the 'See Me' written in his distinctive red pen, scrawled across their copy.

He had a caring side, too. When I was at my desk and learned that my grandfather died in his sleep, Mr Buckley ushered me into his office, before I was sent home for the day on compassionate leave.

Current editor of the Warrington Guardian, Nicola Priest, said it was a sad day when she heard of Ernest's death "or Mr Buckley as we had to call him."

It is poignant that, even in death, everyone whom I spoke to still called him Mr Buckley.

She said: "Ernest was a really tough editor but you certainly never forgot the things he taught you. I remember vividly in my first couple of weeks making a mistake with a diamond wedding and it went in the paper as a golden wedding – making the couple's children illegitimate. He wiped the floor with me and made me go round to the couple and personally apologise. Even now when I'm proof-reading golden and diamond weddings, I always check the maths!

Angela Powers, who is a Sky TV journalist, said: "Ernest Buckley was an editor of the 'stickler' variety. He was a stickler for everything - punctuality, accuracy, deadlines, spelling. And, as all good journalists should, he had a knack for effective communication. It wasn't unusual to hear your name being bellowed across the office as Mr Buckley settled down to sub your copy.

"What's this?" he'd stab at your beautifully crafted article with his finger. "ALWAYS a full point after 'mister', always! Rewrite!" You'd collect your work sheepishly while the rest of the office pretended not to notice (they'd be next). And when your copy was spiked, a little bit of your heart and pride was pierced along with those A5-sized pieces of paper.

"That was 26 years ago, and I was just 18. Back then, Mr Buckley was an imposing figure, striking fear and respect into young apprentice reporters like me. More than a quarter of a century on, Ernest Buckley is still influencing me."

"But there is one particular quality that Mr Buckley prized above all and it is one he instilled in me and many, many junior reporters lucky enough to have blossomed under his leadership - enthusiasm. He encouraged it, he rewarded it and it is something I retain to this day, after 15 years writing and broadcasting for Sky TV. At the time, training under the steely editorship of Ernest Buckley felt like something to be endured but with hindsight it's clear - it was something to be treasured."

Ian Kelly began at the Warrington Guardian in 1983. He recalls: "He could often be gruff and blunt, and reporters were many a time reduced to quivering wrecks at the prospect of having their stories roughly thrown back at them (yes, physically thrown back – we wrote with paper and typewriters in those days) by Mr Buckley, with a curt command to rewrite it for whatever reason.

"He had a razor-sharp wit, too, as displayed on one memorable occasion when he was opening the day's mail and received a letter from a woman enquiring about the prospect of writing an astrology column for the paper. Quick as a flash, while screwing up the letter and throwing it in the bin, Mr Buckley said: "She can't be that good, or she'd have known not to bother writing."

Jason Farrington, who works for Channel 4 News, said, he heard about his death "21 years to the day since I started working for him at the Warrington Guardian."

"He was my very first boss in this business and was everything I imagined a newspaper editor to be. He was strict, scary and "old school" - but very fair and taught me things about the job I will never forget.

Farrington says Mr Buckley wouldn't have been out of place as Clark Kent or Peter Parker's editor in a superhero comic. "But he reminded me most of the actor George Peppard who played Hannibal in the 80's TV series "The A Team"."

Both were cigar-chomping, silver-haired mavericks who did things their own way. Usually with a twinkle in their eye, a throaty cackle and a winning smile."

He was 19 when Mr Buckley gave him his break in journalism - "even though I sent him a hand-written job application and knew absolutely nothing. He took a chance on me and I'm now 40 and still in the business. All these years later I still think of Mr Buckley and have very fond memories," he added.

Jane Woodhead, who is a partner at Liverpool PR firm Paver Smith and a former Warrington Guardian reporter, said she will always be so grateful that Mr Buckley gave her a first break into journalism.

"It is thanks to Mr Buckley that I have had such a successful career," she said.

"Without his guidance I certainly would not be where I am today. Mr Buckley was held in the highest regard by myself and all of my colleagues. I was just 18 at the time and he was to me absolutely everything a newspaper editor should be.

"He was strict, he commanded the highest standards but always with a great personality behind the strict persona. I could not have wished for a better start in journalism and a better grounding. It is thanks to him I then went on to a very successful career at the Liverpool Daily Post and ECHO for 15 years before moving into public relations and rising to the position of partner at Paver Smith, one of the largest public relations companies in the north west.

"When I think of journalism I think of Mr Buckley. I only hope that I have been and continue to be the same inspiration on my junior colleagues as Mr Buckley was to me."

The final word goes to Paola Alvino, now a journalism lecturer at the College of the Bahamas.

She recalls her job interview with Mr Buckley. "He sat there puffing on a huge cigar and listened, nodding as I spoke. He posed maybe three questions, then asked if I had anything to add. 'I just want someone to give me a chance!' I replied with a hint of despair, thinking he was probably going to send me a rejection letter like the editor of the Runcorn World had done, telling me I wasn't tough enough for the likes of Runcorn.

"Mr Buckley had the brightest blue eyes and I remember they shone as his face lit up. 'I'll give you that chance, love,' he said, and rose to shake my hand. 'You start on Monday.' I was so happy I sidestepped the outstretched hand and hugged him instead.

"I'll never be able to fully express what that day meant to me. And the three subsequent years I worked for Mr Buckley before his retirement were the most precious years of my career. I can still hear his voice, gruff, shouting nuggets of wisdom across the newsroom about what constitutes a good story. I repeat these nuggets to this day to my journalism students halfway across the world in The Bahamas, crediting them - of course - to the legend that is Ernest Buckley. He will be sadly missed."